Total Motorcycle Community Forums

You know the saying; there are only two kinds of bikers...
those that have gone down - those that will.

Given we don't know what is going to happen 5min from now,

I would like to know if those of you that have gone down think you will will go down again or not! And those that have not gone down - do you think it ain't gonna happen?

Personally I have not - Of course I think it could happen, but I am tryin to minimize the risks hoping it don't. I am not naive but I think to myslelf how could it happen, I ride safe etc. etc.

thanks

Well... if I thought I was gonna lose it during the next five minutes, I'd take a short break.

Seriously, it's not something I worry about but I know that there are an unlimited number of hazards that you simply cannot predict. That's why we stress wearing good gear and keeping your bike in tip-top shape. So far, the only times I've crashed resulted from something stupid that I did.
Do you know what's the best accident avoidance tool you have at your disposal? It's your attention. Without that, and a bit of good judgement, well... let's just say you better have your insurance premiums paid up.

In short, yes. Let me ask you this. You probably drive a car on a daily basis. Do you think you will ever be involved in a crash in your car? I certainly do, but it doesn't keep me from driving and I don't fret about it. I simply drive and be as careful as I can. Same with the bike. I ride and be as careful as I can. I have dropped my bike once at 1 mph while turning and chances are it will happen again someday.

I haven't gone down, but am constantly aware (and often afraid) that I will. Partly because I've been in many almost-down situations already.

I ride at night quite a bit, and where I live, it's not uncommon to see at least one deer per ride (sometimes you'll even run across an entire pack of deer, even as high as twenty!).

We also have lots and lots of loose gravel on the roads, in the corners, driveways, parking lots..

I'm sure some day I'll get up close and personal with the pavement- swandive into the asphault - and even then, it probably won't be my last time. Until then, I just make sure to practice my emergency maneuvers on a somewhat regular basis, and hope for good riding, and attentive cagers.

Telesque wrote:Until then, I just make sure to practice my emergency maneuvers on a somewhat regular basis, and hope for good riding, and attentive cagers.

This is huge! Practice is still riding, so make it fun, and do it alot.

Doggy boy

I agree with Poppygene...attention can be one's downfall or some other cagers lack of attention. Ride like your invisible, pay attention and pray that everyone else does the same.

Yes, I have been down many years ago. Was thinking about some girl I just met and not paying attention....ran into a car at slow speeds...stupid on my part(in all fairness she was hot.....hence the distraction)

Remember to keep your mind on the moment, and you should do fine.
Letting yourself think of other things (especially girls) is when bad stuff happens. The time I fell was when I was staring at the rain collecting in the road grooves. Car up ahead stopped. Ended up panic braking, then swerving, then braking again and losing traction on cinder. Fun.

So it could happen again, but I don't worry about it. If my mind is wandering while riding, I park under a tree and let it.

Every mile is a learning mile.

I do worse when I let my mind wander. Now that I am wearing earplugs, I find my mind wandering more. I may need some plugs that don't do as complete a job.........

Well me and Dave have gone down, we were overtaking a tanker lorry, he turned right without indicating, we were half way along the tanker when suddenly he veered right, he didnt look in his mirrors either, anyway Dave had to drop the bike or hit the tanker, Dave went to ground first the bike slid down the road a few yards and I was somersaulting towards the back wheel of the tanker he was still driving along totally unaware and it was a car driver in the opposite direction waving the tanker to stop. He finally halted and missed my head by just 1". We got carted off to hospital, and because we had all our leather gear on and helmets we got away with cuts and bruises, "Jesus was certainly looking out for us" They did want to keep me in hospital, cause I have a severe spinal arthritis, But I knew I would get better faster at home, for a month all my arthritis flared up, got it pretty much all over. But did that put me off bikes?..........Did it heck, I could never give up my passion of biking, it hasnt put me off. Oh I forgot to mention all that happened to the bike , was a bent mirror and footpeg,and a few scratches on the tank. Easily fixed.

Thanks to all that replied.

All I can hope is that I don't go down or if - it is a slow speed, someone elses fault, or mine, stupid and correctible, the roads fault, i got the gear on, bike didn't take it in the arse kinda thang.

ciao